Bad Breath

Halitosis, breath odor, or most commonly bad breath are terms used to describe noticeably unpleasant odors exhaled in breathing.

Transient bad breath is a very common temporary condition caused by such things as oral dryness, stress, hunger, eating certain foods such as garlic, onions, and cheese, smoking, or poor oral hygiene. "Morning breath" is a common example of transient bad breath. Transient bad breath gradually disappears on its own, with the aid of chewing gum or brushing one's teeth.

Chronic bad breath is a more serious and persistent condition affecting up to 25% of the population in varying degrees. It can negatively impact the individual's personal and business relationships, leading to poor self-esteem and increased stress. This condition is usually caused by persistent overpopulation of certain types of oral bacteria, primarily Streptococcus mutans, and requires specialised treatment. Xerostomia will increase bad breath problems.

Though the causes of breath odor are not entirely understood, most unpleasant odors are known to arise from food debris trapped in the mouth which is processed by normal mouth flora; there are over 600 types of bacteria found in the average mouth. Several dozen of these can cause trouble when allowed to flourish or are genetically disposed to overpopulate. Large quantities of these naturally-occurring bacteria are often found on the posterior of the tongue, where they are undisturbed by normal activity. The rough surface of the tongue dorsum provides an ideal habitat for anaerobic bacteria, which flourish under a continually-forming tongue coating of food debris, dead cells, and hundreds of thousands of bacteria, living and dead. When left on the tongue, the anaerobic respiration of such bacteria can yield either the putrescent smell of polyamines, or the "rotten egg" smell of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) such as hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulfide, depending on the bacteria type. It is generally these compounds which, when mixed with mouth air and exhaled, produce unpleasant breath. Other causes of chronic bad breath may be periodontitis, helminthiasis, diabetes, kidney failure, sinusitis, tonsilloliths, gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), trimethylaminuria, hormonal changes, and a wide variety of prescription drugs.

...More at Wikipedia

Related Links:

• American Dental Association

Recent Hope Cube Blog Entries For Bad Breath